Pelargonium plant named &#39;PACCHOGI&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacchogi’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves with broad zonation pattern; freely flowering habit; and cherry red-colored flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACCHOGI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pacchogi’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new uniform Zonal Geranium plants with dark green-colored leaves and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2011 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented. The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in

Dresden, Germany since January, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacchogi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacchogi’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant:

1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.

2. Vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely basal branching habit.

4. Dark green-colored leaves with broad zonation pattern.

5. Freely flowering habit.

6. Cherry red-colored flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit as plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Pacludo’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,237. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Zonal

Geranium differ from plants of ‘Pacludo’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more vigorous than plants of ‘Pacludo’.

2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more freely branching than plants of ‘Pacludo’.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium have a broader zonation pattern than leaves of plants of ‘Pacludo’.

4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more freely flowering than plants of ‘Pacludo’.

5. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have smaller umbels and flowers than plants of ‘Pacludo’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacchogi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the winter, spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were three months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Pacchogi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant             habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated; vigorous growth             habit; rapid growth rate; freely basal branching habit with             about 24 lateral branches developing per plant; pinching is             not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Internode length: About 1 cm to 4 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: Close to 146C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Typically opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 cm.         -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Bi-crenate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             velvety.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation,             close to 143C. Zonation pattern: Intensity: High. Width:             Broad, almost covering the entire leaf, about 5 cm. Distance             from margin: Close to 5 mm. Color: Close to 200A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single flowers             arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about 36 flower buds and flowers per             umbel and about 60 umbels developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 90 days after             planting; in the garden in Germany, flowering begins in             April and continues until frost in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About six; petals imbricate.             Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Spatulate.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: More red than 52A;             venation, more red than 52A; color becoming close to 57B             with subsequent development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 52D; venation, close to 52D; color             does not change with development.         -   Petaloids.—None observed on plants of the new Pelargonium to             date.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About ten. Anther length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 199A. Pollen amount: None to             scarce. Pollen color: Golden brown. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma             shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 50A. Style             length: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Style color: Close to 37A. Ovary             color: Close to 193A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Zonal Geranium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacchogi’ as illustrated and described. 